Jacquard machines



July 28, 1959 F. H. HASLAM-JONES 2,896,497

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 28., 1959 F. H. HASLAM-JONES 2,396,497

' I JACQUARD MACHINES Filed March 25, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 35 Inventor:

'FvmAK H orsk ekl Hadam-Jones- United States Patent JACQUARD MACHINESFrank Horsfield Haslam-Jones, West Bridgford, Nottingham, England,assignor to John Jardine Limited, New Basford, England Application March25, 1955, Serial No. 496,761

Claims priority, application Great Britain March 25, 1954 Claims. (CI.87-14) This invention is for improvements in or relating to jacquardmachines. A jacquard machine is a machine which provides individualcontrol means for a plurality of operating members, and conveniently theoperating members are biassed in one direction and the jacquard controlmeans enables them to be moved against the biassing means in theopposite direction. A card having marks, for example aperturescorresponding to each of the operating members to be controlled may beemployed so that each time a selector controlling an individualoperating member engages a mark on the card the member is operated. Whenthe selector does not engage a mark that member is not operated. Thisinvention is concerned with jacquard machines in which springs areemployed to bias the operating members.

It is an object of this invention to provide improvements in jacquardmachines for use with textile machines and particular but by no meansexclusive reference to jacquard machines for use with go-through orLevers lace machines. A Levers lace machine makes fabric by the wrappingof bobbin threads around-a plurality of warp and beam threads and thefabric is patterned by the shogging one way or the other of the warp andbeam threads between each bobbin thread. For this purpose the warp andbeam threads are passed through holes or slots formed in steel bars(guide bars) which extend the length of the machine. The shogging of theWarp and beam threads is obtained by the movement of these steel barswhich is conveniently controlled by a jacquard machine. The jacquardmechanism for selecting and moving the steel bars is customarily locatedat one end of the lace machine and movement is imparted to the steelbars from the selecting mechanism by means of a steel strip and drivingbars. At the other end of the machine the steel bars are anchored tocoil springs to bias them against the movement of the driving bars.

It will be appreciated that in a lace machine there are many sets ofwarp and beam threads and consequently if each set of Warp or beamthreads is to be separately controlled there must be an equal number ofsteel bars and an equal number of springs biassing these steel bars. Thesteel bars themselves are in the order of $1 inch thick while the coilsof the springs may be 7 inch in diameter and consequently the spaceoccupied by all the steel bars together is comparatively small comparedto the space occupied by the springs. Hitherto it has been the practiceto connect the steel bars to the springs by means of steel strip or acord, the springs being located some distance from the lace machine andwith their axes, i.e. the imaginary line upon which the spring extends,substantially horizontal. The axes of the steel bars are alsohorizontal. This results in the machine being of considerable length asit will be appreciated that the steel ice It is one object of thepresent invention to provide improvements in jacquard machines for usewith lace machines of the kind referred to.

Accordingly the invention may be said 'to reside in the provision of amounting for the biassing springs of a jacquard machine of the kindreferred to wherein the springs provide a biassing force about an axistransverse to the direction of the required biassing force comprisingmeans for anchoring the springs and means for transferring the biassingforce from a vertical direction to a substantially horizontal direction.Preferably the springs are mounted about a substantially vertical axis.The springs may be located in a frame so as to be releasably securedtherefrom for replacement as desired. Furthermore some of the steel barsmay be employed to control warp or beam threads which are moved agreater distance than others or which are of thicker yarn than others.Accordingly it is desirable that there be provision for varying thetension applied to dilferent steel bars according to the particularfunction or the nature of the yarn which that steel bar controls.Hitherto it has been found that, operatives of jacquard machines have atendency to increase the tension of the springs irrespective of thefunction which the steel bar tensioned by that spring has to perform. Itwill be readily appreciated that the adjustment of springs to thecorrect tension is highly skilled and in order that satisfactoryoperation of the lace machine shall be obtained it is desirable thatonly those possessing the necessary skill shall have access to the meansfor tensioning the springs.

According to a further feature of the present invention there isprovided a mounting for the springs of a jacquard machine in which thetension of the springs may be ad justed, having a removable cover forthe springs, a re movable cover for the means for adjusting-the tensionof the springs, and a single lock for both said covers. Conveniently themounting comprises a frame in which the springs are located with theiraxes substantially vertical and having means for transmitting the forceexerted by the springs in a vertical direction to a substantiallyhorizontal direction to the steel bars; such meansmay convenientlycomprise an axle and pulley for each individual cord, wire or the likeconnecting a spring to a steel bar. Conveniently the means for adjustingthe tension of the springs comprises an anchor member attached to theend of the spring and extending through an aperture in the form of aslot, said member and slot having co-operating means for adjusting thelength of said mem-j ber extending through the slot which means may forexample be a plurality of lateral extensions provided 011 the outermember. In one construction the springs may be housed in one part of thecontainer and the said anchor members extending through slots in thatcontainer into another container. The extension serves to prevent the.members passing through the slots except when said members are twistedto bring the slots and extensions into register. In such a constructionit is desirable that there be provided ready access to both containers,for example by removable covers to both said containers and thisinvention provides a single lock for both said covers and co-operatingmeans so that removal of one cover permits removal of the other cover.

More specifically the invention provides a mounting for the biassing ofsprings of a jacquard machine wherein the springs provide a biassingforce in a substantially vertical direction comprising at least onerotatable member for each of the springs in the mounting located at oneend of the mounting for thransfern'ng the vertical biassing force into ahorizontal biassing force, at least one aperture for each of the springsin the: mounting, at the other end of the mounting a removable cover forthat part of the mounting between the rotatable member and the aperture,a hinged cover for that part of the mounting beyond the aperture andinterconnecting means between the covers so that the removable cover mayonly be removed when the hinged cover is hinged open to expose saidaperture.

This invention further provides, in a lace machine having guide bars orsteel bars controlled by a jacquardmachine and tensioned by tensionsprings, an arrangement in which the axes of the springs are disposedtransverse to the length of the bars and the springs are connected tothe guide bars by flexible connections which are diverted, through theappropriate angle, by puileys or the like.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood referencewill now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrated by wayof example a specific embodiment of the invention:

Figure 1 is a side sectional view of a jacquard spring box according tothis invention.

Figure 2 is a part sectional view of a front elevation of a jacquardspring box according to the invention.

Figure 3 is a plan view of Figure 2 with the top cover removed.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a Levers lace machine and a jacquardmachine.

A substantially rectangular hollow container 1 has an aperture 28 formedin the rear face thereof and is pro' vided with a cover 2 in the frontthereof. A bottom cover plate 16 is conveniently secured to the lowerend of the frame 1 by suitable means such as for example by bolts (notshown). The plate 16 has a plurality of apertures in the form of slots15 formed therein and has hinged to it a cover member by means of thehinge pin 24. The cover 10 is positively located when in the closedposition by the peripheral step 11 formed on the plate 16 and engaging acorresponding peripheral groove in the cover. As illustrated withrespect to a Levers lace machine, the steel bars thereof 23 areconnected by wires 22, to coil springs 17 anchored at their other end toanchor members 13 extending through the slots 15 in the plate 16 andhaving a plurality of steps 14 formed thereon. The wires 22 pass overindividual pulleys 19 mounted for rotation upon shafts 18 housed inbearings formed in the container 1. A removable cover 20 for the top ofthe container has a knob 21 for easy removal thereof. A stnlt 8 extendsacross the open front of the casing 1 and has a rib extending rearwardlytherefrom in which rib is formed a hole 9. The front cover 2 has aprojection 5 integral therewith with a hole 29 formed therein. A pin 7is mounted to extend through both the holes 29 and 9 and to extendthrough a hole formed in the bottom plate 16 and to abut a step 12provided at one side of the cover member 10. A screw threaded member 4co-operating with the screw thread formed in a hole in the front casing2 is provided with a knob 3 for rotation and mounted to contact thestrut 8. The cover member 10 is provided 'with a lock 25 operated forexample by a key 26. In operation the steel bars 23 are tensioned by thesprings 17 which are anchored by the anchor members 13 each having aseries of lateral extensions 14 for engaging the lower surface of theplate 16. To alter the tension of a given spring the anchor member iseased so that the extension does not abut the bottom surface of the saidplate 16 and then twisted so as to permit the member to slide throughits slot to a new position. The anchor member is then twisted back toits original attitude and the appropriate extension engaged with theplate 16. The extensions 14 may be arranged at intervals of height ineach member 13 such that between each extension a difference in tensionof half a pound on the spring may be obtained.

The cover plate 2 is locked in position by the pin 7 extending throughholes 9 and 29 and thereby preventing the removal of the cover 2.Positive location of the cover 2 is obtained by screwing the member 4against the struts. The pin 7 is held in position by the step 12 and itwill be appreciated that this step is only able to hold the pin 7 whollywithin the hole 29 when the cover member 10 is located in the closedposition. By unlocking the lock 25 the cover member 10 may be swung downinto an open position thus revealing the tension members 13 forconvenient adjustment thereof if desired and in so doing the pin 7 dropsvertically as the step 12 is removed and dis-engages from the hole 29thus releasing the cover 2. A collar 30 on the pin 7 may be provided toprevent the pin passing through the hole 9.

In Figure 4 a jacquard machine is housed within a casing 31, the punchedcards of the jacquard machine and the selecting mechanism comprisingdroppers or the like and means for progressing the cards one at a timeand placing them against the selecting mechanism is contained withinthis housing. The selecting mechanism individually controls the steelbars 23 which are fanned out and which enter the lace machine and passthrough the centre of the machine; each of the steel bars having one ormore apertures for the passage of a warp thread. A motor 35 provides thepower for the lace machine and take-up mechanism for the fabric 33 isdriven through gearing 34-. Warp beams are located upon a warp beam rack32. At the end of the machine remote from the housing 31 is the biassingspring mounting 1 as illustrated in greater detail in Figures 1 to 3.

It will be appreciated that a spring mounting according to thisinvention may be located at the end of a textile machine, for exampleLevers lace machine, remote from the jacquard mechanism and aconsiderable reduction in space at that end of the machine is obtainedby mounting the springs in tension about a substantially vertical axis.It will also be appreciated that by this invention there is provided aspring mounting the covers of which may be readily removed foradjustment or replacement of the springs as desired.

Especially in adapting the present invention to existing lace machinesit may be preferable to provide two initially separate castings, one forcontaining the pulleys and the other for providing the springanchorages, bolted or otherwise fastened to an end standard of the machine, together with a box-like cover which is removably fitted over thetwo castings to enclose the whole assembly and is locked in position.This cover, which is removable to give access to the springs may befabricated from sheet metal.

What I claim is:

1. In a jacquard machine of the type referred to the combination withoperating members of flexible elements connected to the operatingmembers, tension springs connected to the flexible elements, astationary mounting, rows of guide members on the mounting guiding theflexible elements, and anchoring means for the springs comprising ananchorage on the mounting having slots, one for each guide member, andthe slots being staggered in twice as many rows as the rows of guidemembers, and strip members which extend through the slots and areattached to the springs at the guide member side of the anchorage andalso have projection means thereon at the other side of the anchoragepreventing the springs pulling the strip members through the slots,whereby close positioning of the guide members and of the slots enablesdisposition of the springs in comparatively small block formation.

2. In a jacquard machine of the type referred to the combination withoperating members of flexible elements connected to the operating members, tension springs connected to the flexible elements, a stationarymounting, rows of guide rollers onthe mounting around which the flexibleelements extend to be disposed angularly, and anchoring means for thesprings comprising an anchorage on the mounting having slots, one foreach guide member, and the slots being staggered in isomer twice as manyrows as the rows of guide members, and strip members which extendthrough the slots and are attached to the springs at the guide memberside of the anchorage and also have projection means thereon at theother side of the anchorage preventing the springs pulling the stripmembers through the slots, whereby close positioning of the guidemembers and of the slots enables disposition of the springs incomparatively small block formation.

3. In a jacquard machine of the type referred to the combination withoperating members of flexible elements connected to the operatingmembers, tension springs connected to the flexible elements, astationary mounting, guide members on the mounting around which theflexible elements extend to be disposed angularly, and adjustableanchoring means for the springs comprising an anchorage fixed on themounting and having slots, one for each guide member, and anchoringstrip members which extend through the slots and are attached to thesprings at the guide member side of the anchorage and also have lateralprojections spaced longitudinally thereof, the overall width of thestrips and the projections being slightly less than the length of theslots, whereby the anchorage strip members are turnable to align theprojections and slots and are then bodily displaceable' about their axesto adjust the tension of the springs and further turnab'le to mis-alignthe projections with the slots and maintain the tension by theappropriate projections abutting behind the anchorage.

4. In a textile machine having jacquard mechanism including horizontallymovable thread guide members connected by flexible elements to biasingsprings which are adjustable by adjustable anchoring members connectingtail ends of the springs to an anchorage, mounting means for the biasingsprings and anchorage members to be disposed in vertical close groupformation, comprising a support structure, and supported thereby, aclose group of deflecting members for the flexible elements and ananchorage part, a close group of slots in the anchorage part, andblade-like elements, constituting the anchorage members, extendingthrough these slots and having a plurality of oppositely directedlateral Projections to allow for adjustments by turning movements of theblade-like elements.

5. Mounting means as claimed in claim 4 having the slots andconsequently a blade-like element in close staggered relationship toenchance the close group formation of the springs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,076,523 Scott Oct. 21, 1913 1,499,212 Girod June 24, 1924 1,909,895Ratelade May 16, 1933 1,975,431 Okuma Oct. 2, 1934 2,341,952 SchulerFeb. 15, 1944

